How Many Types of Donuts Are There?

There are always new types of donuts being created and every country and region has their own spin on donut varieties. With as many cuisines there are you might ask ‘how many types of donuts are there?’ While the answer can vary based on opinion, there are at least 10 different donut types. However, most donuts can be broken down into cake donuts or yeast donuts. From yeasted donuts to cakey donuts coated in thick frosting, there is a donut for everyone’s tastes. What really makes a donut is the ingredients and the frying process that make them stand out from other pastries. 

What Are Donuts Made Out of?

Not every donut is made the same, but most donuts do have similar ingredients. Donuts usually consist of flour, leavening agent, sugar, eggs, salt, water, shortening and milk. Yeast or baking powder are normally used as the leavening agent of choice for donuts. Different donuts will have some additional ingredients, plus some have fillings or icing/sugar coatings on them. 

Cake vs Yeast Donuts

Two of the most popular donuts are yeast donuts or cake donuts. Yeast donuts are just a broad category of donuts, but it differs from cake donuts because these are normally fried in oil. Yeast donuts are made with yeast as the choice of leavening agent, and then fried in an oil to get them that puffy and fluffy texture. Cake donuts are more often made with baking powder and are first baked in an oven before frying them. 

Types of Donuts

Yeast Donuts

Yeast donuts are the foundation for many different donuts. These donuts use yeast and sit while the dough or batter rises before frying. They can come in a variety of shapes like donut holes, long johns and more. Yeast donuts also have a variety of topping combinations like icing, frosting, sugar, cinnamon sugar, sprinkles and more. 

Cake Donuts

These donuts are more dense than a yeast donut and have a cakey texture that gives them their name. Cake donuts can include the ‘old fashioned’ style donuts that have crumbled edges and also include additional ingredients like sour cream to give them their moisture. These donuts are great to hold up heavier toppings and frostings, like the newer cereal topped donuts.

Potato Donuts

Just like their name, potato donuts include either potato starch or mashed potatoes. These are sweet and have a similar density to cake donuts but are still fried in oil like yeast donuts. Many recipes call for either sweet potatoes or regular potatoes, depending on personal preference.

Mochi Donut

Mochi donuts are made with tapioca or rice flour to give them a chewier texture. These donuts are regularly described as being a mix of traditional donuts with Japanese mochi to create its own kind of donut. Popular flavors for mochi donuts include matcha, ube and taro along with traditional donut flavors like chocolate and strawberry. 

Beignets

While some people would argue that beignets are their own variety of pastry, these can technically be grouped as a donut. New Orleans is known for their beignets and these square shaped sweets are fried and then covered with powdered sugar. They are normally served warm and served at breakfast time. 

Churros

These donuts are fried in a fluted shape and then coated in cinnamon sugar. Many are served with a side of liquid chocolate to dip the donut in, but also can be filled with a cream or jam. These tend to have a less fluffy and more chewy texture than yeast fried donuts. 

Filled Donuts

Traditionally, filled donuts would be jelly donuts that are filled with common jams and jellies like strawberry or grape. There are also cream filled donuts that are filled with a sweet cream or a cheesecake cream. A newer filled donut that has become popular are nutella donuts or donuts filled with a hazelnut spread. 

Crullers

Crullers are ring shaped with either a twisted or fluted shape on them that stands out from traditional yeast or cake donuts. They also include eggs in their ingredients to give them a fluffy and smooth texture. Crullers are popular all around the world and usually coated in a light sugar glaze to give them a sweeter taste.